When Couples Become Parents : The Creation of Gender in the Transition to Parenthood

__When Couples Become Parents__ examines the ways in which divisions based on gender both evolve and are challenged by heterosexual couples from late pregnancy through early parenthood.

When couples make the journey through their first year of parenthood they confront the challenges of their new responsibilities with varying degrees of support and a range of personal resources. When Couples Become Parents examines the ways in which divisions based on gender both evolve and are challenged by heterosexual couples from late pregnancy through early parenthood.

Following the experiences of forty heterosexual couples in various socio-economic positions, Bonnie Fox traces the intricate interplay of social and material resources in the negotiations that occur between partners, the resulting divisions of paid and unpaid work in their families, and the dynamics in their relationships. Exploring the diverse reactions of these women and men, When Couples Become Parents provides significant insights into the early stages of parenthood, the limitations of nuclear families, and the gender inequalities that often develop with parenthood.

Contents 7 Tables 11 Acknowledgments 13 1. Introduction 17 2. Giving Birth: The Dynamics of Support and Agency 51 3. Becoming Parents: The Challenges of the Postpartum Period 91 4. Becoming Mothers, Making Fathers: Negotiations in the Economy of Care 131 5. Taking Care of the Baby: Reproducing Gender Differences and Divisions? 168 6. Home Making and Making Family 199 7. Being Mothers, Being Fathers: The Costs of Privatized Responsibility for Children 234 8. A New Life and Changed Relationships 263 9. Conclusion 299 Notes 309 References 321 Author Index 335 Respondent Index 339 Subject Index 343